Design, Printing, and Mailing

According to one recent survey, consumers are less likely to connect with mobile advertising efforts, compared to email or direct mail marketing efforts.

A study by Acxiom revealed that a small portion, 12 percent, of existing consumers thought receiving an advertisement on their mobile phone from an advertiser was acceptable. This number lies in stark contrast to many marketing profesionals’ views on the subject, 45 percent of whom thought that it was the right approach.

When it comes to consumer engagement, those trying to better engage existing clients are more likely to find a receptive audience when using direct mail. The survey found 71 percent of those asked were happy to receive printed material from a business with which they already had a relationship. In addition, 57 percent of prospective clients said they also welcomed the ads.

“The digital age is accelerating the opportunity for brands to truly engage with consumers across all channels. Equally, it is leading to constant shifts in the way people buy and interact with brands. The risk of marketers getting contact strategies wrong and wasting budget is increasing,” said Murray Dudgeon, Acxiom Europe’s head of client service.

A study by comScore recently found that 14 million smartphone users scanned quick response codes in July, revealing that more people than ever are leveraging the technology to find out about products and services being advertised.

The report, released by the company’s MobiLens service, revealed that the number of people scanning the barcode-like technology with their mobile phones accounted for 6.2 percent of all smartphone users. It also found that of those engaging with QR codes, 60.5 percent were men, and 53.4 percent were between the ages of 18- and 34. Furthermore, QR codes users generally had higher incomes, as 36.1 percent of respondents had household incomes of $100,000 or more.

“QR codes demonstrate just one of the ways in which mobile marketing can effectively be integrated into existing media and marketing campaigns to help reach desired consumer segments,” said Mark Donovan, comScore senior vice president of mobile. “For marketers, understanding which consumer segments scan QR codes, the source and location of these scans and the resulting information delivered, is crucial in developing and deploying campaigns that successfully utilize QR codes to further brand engagement.”

When it comes to using QR codes, it’s important for brands to consider the audience being targeted to create a message that’s both relevant and engaging.

Business professionals can give themselves a major advantage over competition by taking part in industry events taking place across the country. These gatherings offer good opportunities to find out the latest advances in a sector and also gain potential leads for future sales.

One event that leaders in the direct mail marketing sector together is the Graph Expo 2011 in Chicago. The event, which takes place from September 11-14, will bring together a number of different sector professionals and others interested in learning more about what the competition is up to while also potentially attracting a new batch of clients.

In an article for American Printer, Michael Casey, founder and president of Survey Advantage, writes that trade shows are a great networking opportunity as well.

“Trade shows are a great way to become reacquainted with executives over a short period of time,” he writes. “Having a booth offers the opportunity to demonstrate new services or products while at the same time reconnected with large customers or long term prospects, but there needs to be a way to quantify how the investment of time equates to business.”

When it comes to creating a memorable direct mail or print marketing campaign, business owners need to be aware of all the tools at their disposal. Perhaps one of the fastest growing trends in the field is quick response codes. And while many have touted the smartphone-reliant innovation, there are some that think the method has a long way to go.

In an article for eConsultancy, Tim Dunn writes that the increasingly popular codes have been touted by many in the marketing field, but the implementation of the tool still has a long way to go. He says many companies and organizations are failing to make the process effective for customers.

In one case he points to a haphazard effort from British intelligence agency MI-5, which sought to use QR codes to help with recruitment efforts.

“MI5’s recent recruitment campaign made much of dedicating entire outdoor spaces to QR,” he wrote. “This looks good until you make the effort to click through the code, and find yourself on an unnavigable web page, not optimized for mobile.”

A business professional should look at all of the different options before investing resources in a marketing campaign. They must consider what their target market is most likely to respond to.

Approaching a direct mail marketing campaign without first investing in a targeted mailing list inevitably means a small business will waste a hefty amount of capital on its efforts without seeing any real results.

According to Thomson Local, the wise small business marketer will leverage a data list provider to properly target his or her audience and ensure that mail pieces are actually opened, rather than simply tossed in the trash.

“You really have to tailor your marketing to your audience,” Matt Eve, owner of Betterbusinessresults.com told the source. “You can spend a fortune but if you haven’t profiled your audience then you’re wasting your time.”

With any marketing campaign, whether on emerging channels such as social media or mobile, or traditional such as print or direct mail, it is essential that a firm first conducts research to ensure it is not wasting thousands in advertising dollars. Especially with mobile marketing, unwanted marketing messages can be perceived as spam if a company does not properly aim its efforts.

The governor of South Dakota made headlines recently when his office announced a new marketing campaign aimed at attracting businesses to move their operations to the state.

KELO-TV reports that South Dakota Governor Dennis Daugaard’s Office of Economic Development recently rolled out a new marketing campaign, which includes not only radio ads but also direct mail. In the ads, Daugaard touts the fact that the state has no personal income tax, corporate tax or inheritance tax. His office is also promoting the state’s hardworking citizens.

“What we do have is a highly productive workforce. What we have is a very reasonable regulatory environment. What we do have is an economy that is stable and growing. So, when we tell them what we don’t have, we like to tell them what we do have and it’s the package that attracts businesses,” Pat Costello, the commissioner of the governor’s Office of Economic Development, said in an interview with the news station.

Many marketers who use direct marketing campaigns to reach consumers were recently alarmed when the United States Postal Service stated it may be closing as many as 3,600 post offices due to financial difficulties.

In an effort to help entrepreneurs around the country, the United States Postal Service unveiled a new direct mail initiative that targets industry professionals.

One community that has jumped on board is Elgin, Illinois, where the local branch of the post office recently hosted two Grow Your Business Days Seminar. One of the issues highlighted at the event was the new Every Door Direct Mail campaign, which allows business owners to target certain demographics without having to find the specific names and addresses of people.

“This is a perfect opportunity for small- and medium-sized businesses to learn how to use direct mail,” says Elgin Postmaster Sue Meathe in an interview with the newspaper. “This new service lets businesses print their own mail piece and drop it off at the local post office where it can be delivered to specific addresses without a permit.”

By taking advantage of such programs, businesses will be better able to increase profits and get the attention of customers. By creating the right direct marketing message, a struggling business may be able to find a whole new market to sell its products and services to.